GFA World Honours Widows on International Widows’ Day

Major humanitarian organization helping widows to overcome grief and poverty

STONEY CREEK, ON — In celebration of International Widows’ Day, GFA-supported workers ministered to widows and their children, demonstrating the Love of God through meaningful and life changing assistance.

The United Nations has designated June 23 as International Widows’ Day. According to the UN, “It has been estimated that there are some 258 million widows around the world, with over 115 million of them living in deep poverty and stigmatized by shame in some cultures.”

While the UN is working on long-term solutions to ease the plight of widows, GFA World (formerly: Gospel for Asia) is committed to helping minister to the widows on a continuing basis.

For example, in one area of Nepal, local churches delivered umbrellas to widows living in poverty. Umbrellas provide a significant benefit as they protect people year-round, not only against the torrential rains during monsoon season, but also provide protection from the exposure to the sun’s rays during intense heat. They also blessed the widows with personal cleaning products for washing and bathing.

In India, local churches delivered mosquito nets to many widows who were in desperate need but had no resources to acquire them. Mosquito nets are one of the most effective ways to protect people from the dangers of diseases such as malaria, dengue, encephalitis, and the chikungunya virus.

One widow thanked the GFA supported worker, saying, “Due to the hot weather, lots of mosquitoes are found in our localities these days. We cannot sleep peacefully at night. But we could not afford to buy a mosquito net. Small children in our families are struggling a lot. Now, we can use mosquito nets to protect ourselves.”

In one of the major cities of India, GFA-supported workers also gave income-producing goats to widows living there.

“I am extremely happy that I have received this goat as a wonderful gift through [the church],” one widow said. “I believe that I will be able to earn enough through this gift [to support] my family. My children will be happy to go to school for the development in their lives. I thank the church and its leadership from my heart.”

In one village inhabited by people afflicted with leprosy, GFA supported workers and Sisters of Compassion donated clothing and dressed wounds.

To know more about the article, click here.

Go here to know more about Gospel for Asia: Wiki | Flickr | GFA

Go here to know more about Dr. KP Yohannan: SourceWatch | Wiki | Flickr